


High Tempers and Temperatures

by badwolfchild



Series: Boredom [5]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Neal Caffrey has ADHD, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 01:57:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13225770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfchild/pseuds/badwolfchild
Summary: Today is the first day of a summer heat wave, with last night hitting ninety and then triple digits by ten in the morning; everyone is suffering. Normally, it would be bearable inside, but today is also the day that the A/C in the White Collar Unit decided to not turn on, causing everyone on the floor to feel the pain.





	High Tempers and Temperatures

"Peter, please shoot me now..."

 

"Neal, for the last time, sit up. Come on, head up. If we all have to work through this, then so do you. Find some way to get through it."

 

Today is the first day of a summer heat wave, with last night hitting ninety and then triple digits by ten in the morning; everyone is suffering. Normally, it would be bearable inside, but today is also the day that the A/C in the White Collar Unit decided to not turn on, causing everyone on the floor to feel the pain.

Neal takes a deep breath and sits up. He reaches for his cup and takes the last sip of ice water. 

 

Still thirsty, but not wanting to get up, he just slips one of the ice cubes into his mouth and clicks it around. After about a minute the ice gets small enough for him to bite into it, filling the otherwise silent room with loud crunches.

 

Peter’s eyes shift up and he glares before getting back to work. Neal does this again, causing the older agent to grip his pen tighter and try to ignore the loud crunching sounds. Neal looks up and finally notices the state of his partner. With one last crunch, he swallows and speaks up.

 

"What's up with you?"

 

Peter throws down his pen in frustration. " _ You, _ that's my problem!  _ You, _ and your stupid ice chewing! And you not being able to sit still! And, and just the way you always act like a ten-year-old, ADHD,  _ brat! _ I'm  _ sick _ of having to act like your  _ father,  _ when I'm just your FBI handler,  _ nothing more!” _

 

The room fills with silence except for the heavy breathing by Peter, who belatedly realizes that he left his door open, hoping to get an extra breeze in the office, and that everyone down in the bullpen just heard everything and are staring up at the two of them.

 

Peter speaks up first in a softer voice. "Neal, I'm so-"

 

Neal shoves his hat on, despite the heat, and covers most of his face with it. He cuts off Peter, his voice thick with emotion. "Excuse me,  _ Agent Burke _ ." He leaps up like his chair is on fire and makes a beeline out the doors of the White Collar Unit in record time, disappearing around the corner to the left.

 

Peter takes a deep, shaky breath, then yells, "Damn it!" He bangs his fist against his desk. 

 

Never in the eight years that he has known Neal had he ever heard him speak in such a bitter tone as he had with those last two words that keep echoing in his head. 

 

_ 'Agent Burke' _

 

Running a hand through his hair, he pulls out his phone and closes the door to his office. Sitting back down, he speaks up. "Hey, Hon."

 

_ "Hi, Hon, what's going on? It's only ten-thirty."  _

 

"It's just, I think I just screwed up big time,"

 

*line break*

 

Down in the bullpen, everyone looks at one another, not sure what to do. Slowly, everyone starts to get back to work except Diana and Jones, who keeps staring at one another, not able to find their voices.

 

"Wow." Diana finally says.

 

"Yeah." Jones forces out, still in shock.

 

"I'm gonna go check to make sure Caffrey's alright."

 

"Yeah." Jones just repeats.

 

Diana gets up and makes her way around the same corner as Neal, finding the only route he could have gone through. She opens the door to the stairwell and feels a blast of cool air. Diana takes in the scene in front of her, Neal has his back to her while sitting on the steps leading down and he’s holding up his head in his hands, fingers tangled tightly in his hair. She closes the door and hears quiet sniffles. Realizing she’s going to have to talk first she says the first thing that comes to mind.

 

"So they have the air fixed in the one place that half the people in the building don't even know exists, and yet the place where everyone works they say isn't gonna be fixed until the end of the day."

 

Not getting any reaction out of him, she picks up the discarded hat to the left of him and sits down in its place, placing the hat in her lap. All he does is turn his head away from her.

 

She studies the hat in her lap and tries again. "Maybe I'll just go get my laptop and work the rest of the day in here. Be a lot better than boiling out there with the rest of the guys. And I swear, I've used about half of my perfume today alone."

 

"I know what you're trying to do and you can just stop right now. You can't con a conman." Neal finally says.

 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Diana just keeps fiddling with the hat.

 

Neal looks up at her and she can’t help but notice that his eyes are red. "You would make a horrible conman."

 

"Conwoman." She corrects him, causing him to crack a small smile.

 

"Con _ woman. _ Sorry." The two of them fall into a more comfortable silence.

 

Diana pushes on now that Neal has more or less calmed down. "You know, everything that Peter said back there-"

 

"I don't want to talk about  _ Agent Burke  _ right now." He clenches his fist and bites his bottom lip.

 

"He didn't mean a word of it." She continues on as if he hadn’t interrupted her.

 

"Yeah, well, I'll believe that when I hear it from him. He was pretty clear what he meant back in his office, like you and everyone else heard."

 

"Then go back and talk to him. Hear what he has to say."

 

"No offence, but I don't want to hear anything else that he has to say right now."

 

Diana sighs, then shrugs. "Okay, do whatever you want." She stands up, patting his shoulder as she does. "I'll be right back."

 

"What are you doing?"

 

"I wasn't kidding about working here, it's really nice. Unless you've taken over the whole stairwell for yourself." She tosses his hat back on him.

 

He grins and fixes it. "Now, what kind of gentlemen would I be if I made you work in that horrible environment out there?"

 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be right back, Caffrey."

 

"One more thing?"

 

"What?" Diana fakes sighs as she turns around once more.

 

"Think you can bring back your perfume?" He grins.

 

Diana just gives him a look. "Really? Are you joking?"

 

"What?" He looks at her with wide eyes. "I would rather smell like a women's perfume than have to go another minute of smelling my B.O."

 

Diana scoffs and shakes her head. "Only you, Caffrey, only you." She then turns to walk out.

 

"So is that a yes? Diana?" She just walks out, letting the door slam shut behind her. Neal shuffles sideways at the top of the stairs so he can lean against the inside railing and sighs. He subtly smells near his armpit, then quickly wrinkles his nose.

 

*line break*

 

_ "You  _ what _?!" _ El shrieks into the phone after Peter explained what had happened.

 

"I didn't mean to! It's just, it's about a hundred degrees in here and he kept chewing that ice and I started yelling and once I started, I just started to yell things that I didn't mean!" Peter is in near hysteria now, and he pauses to take a deep breath. After a couple of seconds he continues in a slower and more shaky voice. "El, if you would have seen his face... I feel like complete crap. After everything these past couple of months and then to yell that I don't care about him, and in front of everyone for that matter, honey I," Peter pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes. "I just don't know what to do."

 

_ "Are you done?" _ El finally speaks up.

 

Peter nods, but quickly realizes his mistake and gives a quiet affirmative.

 

_ "Now, I want you to get off your ass and go apologize to our boy." _

 

"But, what if-"

 

_ "Did I stutter?” _

 

"No, but-"

 

_ "Then go. I’ll see you two when you get home. Oh, and honey?" _

 

"Yeah?"

 

_ "I love you." _

 

"Love you, too." They hang up and Peter sighs as he runs his hands down his face.

 

*line break*

 

When Diana walks back into the cool stairwell with her laptop and folders in one hand, and the perfume in the other, Neal is just staring off into space still in the same exact spot that he was in when she left. As soon as he sees her his mask is back up and he grins at her.

 

"Here you go, princess." She jokes while handing over the bottle.

 

"Thank you." He sprays it all over himself, then at last sprays it on his wrist and rubs them together. While Neal is busy, Diana sits back down and gets on her laptop, then hands him a folder when he finished.

 

"Might as well keep yourself busy until Peter shows up."

 

Neal glances up from the folder he was reading and frowns. "What makes you think he's going to come looking for me?"

 

"Because for some strange reason he cares about you."

 

Neal looks back down at the folder, but didn't even try to comprehend any of the words. "What makes you say that?" He asks offhandedly.

 

"Remember when I told you about Charlie?" Neal nods. "Well, when I was little I got into a huge fight with him about the stupidest thing and said things that I didn't mean. An hour later, we had made up and went to the kitchen and ate about a gallon of ice cream together." She smiles at the memory. "Neal, look at me," He looks up and their eyes lock. "The way Peter looks at you every day when he thinks no one is looking, it's the same way Charlie did with me. He just gets this twinkle in his eye."

 

Diana doesn’t say anything else and just lets Neal process everything. After a minute, Neal speaks up. "You were really lucky, having someone like that in your life growing up."

 

Before Diana has a chance to question him about that the door opens and they look up to see Peter standing awkwardly in the doorway. Neal turns his head away and pulls his hat down.

 

Diana stands up. "I'm gonna give you two a minute." Neal looks up at her with eyes begging her not to leave. "And Neal, you're lucky too." She gives him a soft smile and Peter steps to the side to let her by.

 

The door clicks shut and Neal turns a glare at Peter, making him speak first. "So," Peter sit down next to the younger man. "I see that you and Diana found a cool place to work." He chuckles slightly at the pun, but Neal just continues to glare over the brim of his hat. Peter sighs and pulls the hat off his head so he can look at Neal properly.

 

"Hey!" Neal reaches for the hat, but Peter pulls it out of reach and hangs it up on the railing above him.

 

"Come on, buddy, you know I'm horrible at this stuff."

 

"Give me my hat back." His voice is oddly calm.

 

"Kiddo, look-"

 

"Don't call me that, and give me my hat."

 

" _ Neal, _ " He stresses the name. "I'm really,  _ really  _ sorry."

 

"I want my hat back!" Neal raises his voice for the first time.

 

"Forget your stupid hat for a second!"

 

"It's mine and I want it back!" Peter realizes that talking it out is like yelling at a wall. Throwing  caution to the wind, he grabs the kid by the shoulders and pulls him to his chest in a great big bear hug.

 

"Let go of me!" His voice is muffled as he struggles to get free.

 

"Shhhhh, come on, buddy, calm down." Peter rests his chin on top of Neal's head and cups the back of his head with his hand. Neal’s struggles get weaker and Peter realizes that he’s shaking now and clutching Peter's shirt in a death grip. "Hey, hey, shhhhh. I got you, it's alright, it's all good now." Peter whispers, his voice just loud enough to be heard over Neal's quiet sobs. He has his other hand rubbing up and down Neal's back, and in a couple of minutes the younger man has calmed down.

 

Peter's arms have lowered slightly, and he leans back, bringing Neal with him and they shift to a more comfortable position, but he still holds him in a loose hug. "Everything I said," Peter breaks the silence. "I didn't mean  _ one  _ word of it, and if I could turn back time, I would have the second after I yelled."

 

"I know,"

 

"So am I forgiven?"

 

Neal gives a small smile even though he knows that Peter won’t be able to see it. "For now." He snuggles closer, but then leans back enough to look at Peter. "You smell really bad."

 

Peter grins and pulls him back to him. "Guess you're gonna have to deal! You're stuck with me now." Peter sniffs him and then spots the bottle of perfume on the ground a couple of feet away and laughs. "Are you wearing perfume?"

 

"Don't judge, it's better than smelling of sweat."

 

Peter shakes his head and the two pull away, but Peter still keeps an arm around the other's shoulder. "Oh, what am I gonna do with you?"

 

"Can't live with me, but can't live without me?"

 

"You are the second best thing to ever come into my life." Peter confesses.

 

Neal tries to brush it off. "Glad to know I rank above Satchmo."

 

"Oh, I forgot about him, guess that makes you third best."

 

Neal opens his mouth to speak, but Peter beats him to it. "Joking. Don't worry, you rank above the dog."

 

"Better not let Satch hear that." His voice cracks at the end, and Peter catches it.

 

He looks at him closer, noticing something and smiles. "Is that a tear? Did I get a tear?"

 

Neal scoffs and wipes his eyes. "No, my allergies are just really bad. The air's been terrible since it hasn't rained."

 

"Right," He agrees, even though he knows for a fact that he's never had allergies. "You know, I think mine are acting up too."

 

Neal smiles and leans into Peter. "Thank you, Peter."

 

"You're welcome, kiddo." He leans back a little. "I can call you that right?"

 

Neal chuckles and playfully shoves him. "Shut up." Peter ruffles his hair. "Can I have my hat back now that you've officially ruined my hair?"

 

Peter grabs the hat in question and looks at it. Instead of handing it over he puts it on and fixes it like Neal. "What'd ya think? Should I start going rat pack?"

 

Neal laughs. "Nah, you're more Butch than Dino."

 

Peter frowns. "Butch wore a hat."

 

"He also jumped off a cliff into a river."

 

"You can swim right?"

 

Neal's smile vanishes. "Not funny."

 

Peter can't help but laugh at his expression. The door opens and Diana pokes her head in. "Are you two good now?"

 

Neal turns to her. "Diana, please tell Peter not to jump off a cliff into a river."

 

She closes the door and takes in the sight in front of her. Peter is still chuckling with Neal's hat on and said owner of the hat looks like he just rolled out of bed by the state of his hair, and the both of them have red eyes like they had been crying.

 

Diana smiles and starts to relay the message. "Boss-"

 

"I got the message." He fixes the hat again. "Now, what do  _ you  _ think?"

 

She shakes her head. "Sorry, boss, that's not working."

 

He takes it off and looks at it again. "Yeah, guess you two are right." He puts it back on Neal. 

 

"Much better." Neal takes the hat back off with a roll of his eyes and hangs it up on the railing behind him. "Now," Peter stands up with a stretch. "I'll be back."

 

The two look confused. "You guys have a good set up here, and I can't stand that heat anymore." Peter explains.

 

After Peter leaves Diana raises a brow at Neal. "Don't say it." He says first.

 

"You know, if I were a complete stranger and walked in on that scene, I would think, without a doubt, that you were father and son."

 

"Okay, that's not what I thought you were going to say."

 

"What else would I say?"

 

Neal realizes the corner he’s been backed into and decides to bite the bullet. "You really would be a great conwoman. You were right, Peter came looking for me and he does care."

 

"Now, was that so hard to admit?" She sits down next to him, and bumps their shoulders. "On a more serious note, what I said before was true, you can easily pass as his son."

 

Neal starts to fiddle with his nails, and Diana struggles to hear what Neal says next. "I never knew my dad as a kid, and my mom was around but not,  _ around _ . I had Ellen, a friend of my dad's, but she was only around so much." He pauses and inhales sharply. "Peter's the first person to really give a damn about me." Diana is speechless. It’s like pulling teeth getting Neal to talk about his past and he just about nut-shelled it for her. "Now, whenever I think about the stories of my dad, I can't help, but picture Peter."

 

"You should tell him."

 

Neal looks at her like she’s crazy.

 

"You're having dinner with Peter tonight right?"

 

"If I don't, El will literally drag me there herself, but-"

 

"But nothing. Trust me on this, Peter cares about you as if he raised you himself."

 

"I'll think about it."

 

"I think you two have to be related. Even when the facts are laid right in front of you, you two are both too bone-headed to act on them."

 

"Thanks for the advise, Dr. Phil, but we already have Oprah helping us out."

 

"Whatever you say," She shrugs, then to twist the knife she adds, "Princess."

 

"You're not gonna stop calling me that, are you."

 

"Not a chance." She laughs as Peter walks back in with an arm full of folders.

 

"Stop calling you what?" He asks.

 

"Nothing!" Neal yells, but not quick enough to beat Diana's declaration.

 

"Princess."

 

Peter rolls his eyes. "Forget I asked, I don't want to know." He then speaks to Neal. "Up. Let me sit on the stairs."

 

"But I was here first." Neal whines.

 

"What are you, five?" Peter hits him in the back of the head with one of the folders. "Now, move. You're young."

 

Neal shuffles down a step, then shifts to the left in front of Diana and smirks. "Alright, old man."

 

Peter glares, and growls a little as he sits down in the now vacant spot. Neal just keeps smiling and leans back against the older man's legs.

 

Peter takes his hand and ruffles the other's hair again, but this time keeps the hand on his head.

 

"You know, I'm pretty sure we're creating a fire hazard sitting on the steps." Neal points out randomly.

 

"Guess I was right about one thing, you definitely have ADHD. And you're five." Peter grins as Neal sticks his tongue out at him.

 

Diana, forgotten during the exchange, just watches the two go back and forth like a tennis match.  _ 'Oh yeah,'  _ she thinks ' _ Definitely father and son.' _


End file.
